Knysna to Aliwal North

Yeah, today is a special day and so I update my travel blog once more. It's a long time ago, I haven't been to the internet and today I haven't much time either. I parked my bicycle full packed at the parcel store in the shoprite in Aliwal North and because today is pay day in SA the town is full of people, who for sure wouldn't mind a bicycle with some camping gear. So please understand when my spelling and grammar is worse than ever before. You will ask yourself: Is that even possible? Yes it is!!!
So let's go.... Last thursday I finally left Joy, her family, friends and lovely Rheenendal. I had a real great time there and enjoyed every second. All the people gave me great hospitality and it was a pleasure to meet them.
I headed north towards Uniondale and had a great cycle on a not too busy dirt road. I totally enjoyed the great landscape and couldn't reach Uniondale the same day. I told myself it's the heavy luggage and the climbs but I lost actually my good form of before. I can't explain myself why it shouldn't be good to eat 5 times a day and as much as possible. But it wasn't any problem and I got a great camp spot on a farm up in the hills. The family invited me in and served delicious rye bread, goat cheese, butter and everything selfmade. The next day I continued towards Avontuur, Uniondale and finally Willowmore. I had a nice day and enjoyed the night in a rainwater channel under the road. The following day I cycled to Aberdeen. I heard that my friend Marius from Cape Town is close on a farms property on a hunt. It wasn't too right. He was on a hunt but not on the farm near Graff Reinet but in Landsburg. So I hadn't to plan much more and slept once again under the bridge and kept myself warm with a small fire. The next day I reached Graff-Reinet with plenty of wind and made myself a nice day. I planned to visit the Valley of Desolation but because of the late hour and my way of transport it was to late. I decided to find a place to sleep along the dam but because I wasn't allowed to enter the road along the lake because of the Game farm I changed my plans, stocked up my food and headed out of town. Around 20 k's out of town I saw such a wonderful place up the hill that I had to stop and pitch my tent there. I enjoyed the great view on the fields with different plateous and made a not all to bad braai on my fire. The following day was going slow with all the head and side winds and I arrived around late afternoon in Middelburg. The cycle was great with two passes on the way and enjoyed the landscape a lot or heaps like Joy would say. I spent the night out of town on a field and cycled towards Steynsburg on the next day. There I saw per accident some Austrian flags and had a look. What I found was Johann, the Austrian Bakery Master, who owns now a small take away there. I had a nice talk with a man with a long and interesting history and headed out of town to sleep on a nearby field. I came back on the following day and planned to support his business where you can have all the delicious Austrian bakeries. We talked almost the whole day and I slept the night at his place. I left on the next day but he persisted that I don't have to pay all the snacks I enjoyed. I headed finally via Burgersdorp to Aliwal North, where I'm in the moment. Tomorrow I will hit the road towards Lesotho, where I will enjoy my next week before I return to South Africa and continue towards Swaziland and Mozambique.
Have a good time and hear of you soon guys!!!